Evaluation of Plant Fungicides in the Control of Fungi Affecting the Growth and Cob Yield of Maize in Awka

Most fungal diseases of maize are distributed in all maize fields which are mostly favored by humid and warm environmental conditions. The major and devastating disease of maize caused by fungi are Aspergillus, which is a widely distributed, saprotrophic and pathogenic fungus and may occur when hosts are in the field. This study was undertaken to evaluate the effect of plant extracts on the growth and yield performance of maize. Azadirachta indica and Cymbopogon citratus leaf extracts were applied with 25%, 50%, 75% and 100% concentration each. Maize seeds were sown immediately after land preparation and spraying of plant extracts was carried out every 2weeks starting from emergence and ended at the flowering stage. Data collection was on leaf area, plant height, plant girth and cob yield. Effect of plant extracts on the growth of maize showed that there was significant growth in the leaf area for all treatment at week 8 and 12. Maize sprayed with Azadirachta indica recorded significant growth for plant height at week 2, 4, and 12 for all the treatments. Week 6 showed significant difference in the plant height only for SLg25% (11.000±0.000a) and SLg100% (13.100±0.000a). Maize sprayed with Azadirachta indica recorded significant growth in the plant girth at week 2 for SAi25% (11±0.00a) and SAi100% (12±0.00 a). Week 4, 6, 10 and 12 showed significant growth in the plant girth in all the treatments while SAi50% (12±0.00 a) and SAi75% (12±0.00 a) recorded a significant difference in the plant girth at week 8. Maize sprayed with lemon grass showed a significant difference in the plant girth for all the treatments at week 6 and 12 while week 8 showed a significant growth in the plant girth except for SLg75% (16±0.00 a). The effect of the plant fungicides on maize cob yield recorded that SAi50% gave a fresh weight of 413g (being the highest) while SLg25% was the lowest at 130g. For the dry weight, SAi50% recorded the highest weight (312g) while the lowest was SLg25% at 80g. The number of cob per plant recorded 1 for all the treatment while the cob diameter and cob length was highest in SLg100% at 8cm and 14 cm respectively. The result showed that both plant extracts used were effective in controlling fungi affecting maize in the field and hence a positive effect on the leaf area of the maize samples. To forestall the growth of fungi in pre-harvest maize, this study recommends the use of plants extracts that have antifungal properties like Azadirachta indica and Cymbopogon citratus.